Herjstial truss



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANGEL I. HARDIN, OF SHELBY, NORTH CAROLINA.

HERNIAL TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,835, dated March 17, 1857.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANGEL I. HARDIN, of Shelby, in the county ofCleveland, in the State of North Carolina, have invented a new andImproved Abdominal Supporter; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists of a ratch D and plate E to beapplied over the lower part of the abdominal region, at each end of theratch D a curved spring is riveted (the springs S and S may be made ofsilver, steel or any other material) which spring is to pass around eachside of the abdomen above the pelvis to near the spine; and attached tothe springs S and S near to their union with ratch D other springs B andB are attached by rivet or screw which springs B and B are to passdirectly around the pelvis so as to be united by screw or rivet springsS and S at the end of each near the spine; and to the end of springs Sand S and B and B is attached plates O and C. Plates C and O should beof sufficient length that the lower end padded may rest over or near tothe union of the sacral with the iliac bone and the upper end padded torest on each side of the lumbar portion of the spine or higher ifdesired. To ratch D plate F is united by two hinges E and E loopingaround D so as to let plate F turn around ratch D that plate F may beadjusted to any part of the abdomen. Plate F may be made of horn7 shellor any metallic substance-and so constructed as to give any desiredamount of pressure or support on the abdomen so as to retain in thefemale the womb in its proper place and position or to in cases ofhernia, keep closed any aperture that would allow egress to any of theviscera. Attached to plate F are two springs G and G so arranged as toallow plate F to revolve around ratch D in one direction the ends ofsprings G and G catching in the ratch so as to make and retain at alltimes the desired amount of pressure and support. Attached to plate F isa lever H by which the springs G and G' may be freed from ratch D so asto diminish at will t-he pressure or support made by plate F.

The mode of applying the supporter is by springing apart plates C and Cso as to pass them on each side of the abdomen and pelvis to the back,having plate F in front, springs G and G resting on the upper smoothportion of ratch D, springs S and S above the superior crest of theilium, springs B and B around the pelvis, plates C and C on each side ofthe spinous portions of the sacral and lumbar vertebrae, O and C beingsecured to their position by strap of leather or gum elastic tape orwebbing united to each by knobs or buttons; the supporter being appliedas above described turn plate `I4` downward to give the amount ofpressure or support required and springs G and G by means of ratch Dwill retain it in its position if it should be desired to increase thepressure turn plate F inward and G and G will retain it there, and whenit may be desired to diminish the pressure or support or to take off thesupporter by lever H springs G and G may be raised from ratch D, plate Frevolved upward, the buttoning or tying of C with O loosened and thesupporter taken off.

From this description it must be clear that the lever H can not bebrought in operation by any accident, but solely by an intentional actof the wearer of the supporter as by its position it is entirely out ofreach of any foreign body or object'.

l/Vhat therefore I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentirs- Theposition and application of the lever H in the manner and forthe purpose specified.

A. I. HARDIN. Witnesses:

F. I. MURPHY, WM. COOPER.

